At its meeting of April 13,…

At its meeting of April 13, 2021, Waterloo Regional Council passed the following recommendation with respect to this ERO posting:

That the Regional Municipality of Waterloo forward Report PDL-CPL-21-15, dated April 13, 2021 to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing as the Region’s response to the Province’s “Consultation on Growing the Size of the Greenbelt” (Environmental Registry of Ontario Posting 019-3136) and advise the Province that:

a) the Region opposes any extension of the Greenbelt Legislation in Waterloo Region unless it provides for the following:

i) Adds policy language that encourages municipalities to go beyond the minimum standard set by the Greenbelt Plan;

ii) Includes policies that provide for the highest level of protection to prevail;

iii) Includes a policy framework that provides for the protection ground water resources that supply municipal drinking water;

iv) Revises the policies to permit municipalities to be stronger than the Greenbelt Plan with respect to aggregate resources as it relates to the protection of municipal drinking water supplies; and

b) the Region requests the Province commit to enhanced municipal consultation beyond the minimum standard, and the use of best available technical information and municipal land use planning information as well as allowing for either current and/or ongoing municipal planning initiatives including Provincial Plan conformity exercises to be completed and respected prior to establishment of final mapping associated with the proposed Greenbelt expansion.

A copy of Report PDL-CPL-21-15, which contains additional details, is attached as a supporting document.

Thank you for consulting on this proposal and considering the Region of Waterloo's comments.